Feb. 5, 2018

This piece is presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

Since being named workforce development manager for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation in April 2017, Jennifer Tuttle has worked on a wide variety of initiatives – including this new workforce publication – and has plans to further develop her role in the coming year.

How did you become interested in workforce development?

I’m a former U.S. Army officer who earned a master’s degree in human resources management. I then worked as leadership and management coordinator at Great Plains Technology Center in Oklahoma, where I developed a passion for workforce development. My position afforded me the opportunity to establish national contacts with some of the best and brightest workforce developers in the nation — Workforce Development Institute, the National Coalition for Advanced Technology Centers, Oklahoma’s Governor’s Council on Workforce and Economic Development and the National Council on Workforce and Economic Development. My work as human relations specialist for the city of Sioux Falls further helped me understand the unique workforce opportunities of our area.

What workforce programs are you currently working on?

One of the workforce development initiatives we’re currently working on is a geographically targeted employee recruitment effort via social media. Our goal is to promote our community and the employment opportunities available here to people in regions where opportunities are limited or employment growth has been impacted by economic or industrial retrenchment. Another exciting project that will begin in the new year is our next phase of developing siouxfalls.com, which will include employer profiles and the opportunities offered by those companies. We will also be working with other Sioux Falls workforce development groups in efforts to promote the employment of workers from diverse populations such as veterans, youth, immigrants and retired individuals.

What are the best things about Sioux Falls for attracting new talent?

Our area has an incredible diversity of employment opportunities, which can help draw individuals with an equally diverse range of skills. Our post-secondary educational institutions in Sioux Falls and around the region are an attraction themselves for thousands of young adults. And with the array of employment opportunities available, many look to start and grow their careers here. In addition, these institutions offer training and programs that allow career advancement opportunities. And our quality of life and recreational options make this a place where people want to live.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your job so far?

I love having the opportunity to help people, whether it is helping a company come up with a solution or making connections for people across the city, state and even the nation.

Tell us about your new online publication. What kind of information will employers find there?

WIN (Workforce Information Now) Source is an online resource providing information on workforce activities, programs, profiles, recruitment activities of the SFDF and statistics. It will feature targeted populations that employers may not have considered hiring in the past, with resources to obtain information on hiring. We will feature companies highlighting businesses that have found success with their workforce by having unique work cultures.

If employers want to become more connected with the resources your office offers, what should they do?

They can call the Sioux Falls Development Foundation at 605-339-0103 or email us at [email protected].